Baksy
Central Asian word for a singer-healer: in Kazakh and Kyrgyz a shaman who plays the kobyz, in Uzbek an epic singer.
Also: baqsy, bakhshi, bagshy, baxshi
Baksy, also written baqsy or bakhshi, has different meanings across Central Asia. Among the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, it has been used for a healer and shaman who, with the kobyz, a bowed lute, and a drum, is believed to call spirits and drive out illness. The legendary Korkyt is regarded as the first baksy. In Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan, a bakhshi is an epic singer who also heals in some regions. In Turkmenistan, the bagşy is a folk singer. Soviet authorities discouraged the healing role, and Islam tended to restrict it. Revival since independence has made baksy a symbol of heritage, with stage performances alongside the quieter work in villages.